Manchester United have made their worst ever start to a Premier League season and so there is little surprise that the spotlight is shining brightly on manager Erik Ten Hag.
The Red Devils have won just eight points from their first seven games and that underwhelming tally has placed them 14th in the league table, five points above the drop zone and ten off the leaders. With the international break upon us the Dutch manager has work to do, with key fixtures to come in October, at home to Brentford and away to West Ham United.
If those two fixtures yield fewer than four points the pressure is sure to mount.
After beating Manchester City to win the 2024 FA Cup Ten Hag challenged the Manchester United board that if they no longer required his services he would go and win silverware elsewhere. He made a good point as the most successful manager of the Red Devils since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson over a decade ago. But the English top flight is the richest and most watched league in the world and it is a results business. And while Manchester City and Arsenal continue to get stronger in their tussle for supremacy, with Liverpool and Chelsea also strengthening, Manchester United have been treading water…and the vast majority of fans will blame the ownership.
But if the hierarchy have made a mess of things they need to put it right and, my question is: is Ten Hag the man to turn things around on the pitch?
As well as poor form in the Premier League; the Red Devils have been unimpressive in Europe too, with draws against Porto and FC Twente and it’s hard to see how things will improve quickly.
Red Devils fans, my SBOTOP colleague James among them, gave Ten Hag some warm applause after the stalemate at Villa; but the stats don’t lie and the manager and his players have a vital three weeks ahead. So while the United hierarchy continue their assessment of what is going wrong at Old Trafford let’s take a look at the other Premier League 2024 news trending this week.
Alisson out for weeks
League leaders Liverpool won 1-0 away at Crystal Palace on Saturday, to stay one point clear at the top or the table but at a cost, as keeper Alisson Becker picked up a hamstring injury which is expected to keep him out until mid November. That means head coach Arne Slot will be without his number one for some huge games; in the Premier League against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Hove Albion and Aston Villa, as well as in the Champions League against Bundesliga heavyweights Red Bull Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.
23 year old third keeper Vitezslav Jaros came on for Alisson at Selhurst Park, making his Premier League debut, but Caomhin Kelleher, who was absent through illness, has recovered and is set to step in.
The Premier League 2024 betting odds still rate the Reds as third favourites, but now clearly in a three horse race alongside Manchester City and Arsenal, and Slot will want his A-Team back together as soon as possible…and that means a fit Alisson.
Hammers gear up to help Paqueta
Down in East London West Ham United have moved to support their under fire midfielder Lucas Paqueta who has been alleged by the Football Association to have been deliberately booked in matches against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United and Bournemouth. The player has denied all charges and has said he will ‘fight with every breath to clear my name.’
Around 60 people in Brazil have been said to have bet on Paqueta being booked in these games, and the Brazil star is due to face a hearing in March. In the meantime West Ham have reportedly approached high profile lawyer Nick de Marco to help their man. He was the barrister behind Leicester City’s successful case against the Premier League to avoid a points deduction and De Marco is the man Hammers bosses believe can help Paqueta to clear his name.
Since joining the East End club in 2022, the former AC Milan and Lyon star has become a fans favourite, with his attacking flair, clever skills and energetic displays. Paqueta has scored ten goals in 66 appearances for the Londoners, and 11 in 52 games for Brazil; and fans of both his club and country will be hoping this case can be put to bed quickly.
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